Rocker attachment unit for tricycles



March 7, 1950 F. J. SEVER ROCKER ATTACHMENT UNIT FOR TRICYCLES F iled June 16, 1947 E INVENTOR x W54 M Patented Mar. 7, 1950 ROCKER ATTACHMENT UNIT FOR TRICYCLES Frank J. Sever, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor of twenty-five per cent to Josephine M. Sever,

Cleveland, Ohio Application June 16, 1947, Serial No. 754,988 2 Claims. (01. 280-717) My present invention comprises a novel rocker attachment for wheeled vehicles such as childrens velocipedes or the like, whereby such vehicle may readily be converted to a rocking vehicle.

The principal object of my invention is to provide such a rocker attachment which is of relatively simple construction, inexpensive to manufacture and which may be readily attached to or detached from the wheeled vehicle by the child using the same without special skill or necessity for using tools for this purpose.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a rocker attachment in which the means for mounting the wheels of the vehicle upon the rocker attachment are adjustable to accommodate vehicles of shorter or longer wheel base.

Another object of the invention is to provide.

such a rocker attachment in which the rocker members are adapted to be disposed longitudinally of the vehicle when the same is mounted upon the attachment.

Other objects, advantages, and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a childs tricycle or velocipede mounted upon a rocker attachment embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the rocker attachment alone.

Figure 3 is a detailed view partly in section and partly broken away showing the mounting of the front wheel of the tricycle upon the rocker attachment.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view through a rocker showing a modification providing for adjustment of the cross members between the rocker members to permit accommodation of vehicles of different lengths of wheel base, the rocker member being partly broken away and the cross members also being broken away.

Figure 6 is a side view of the matter shown in Figure 5. 4

Now referring to the drawing, there is shown in Figure 1 a childs tricycle or velocipede designated by the numeral I mounted upon a rocker attachment embodying my invention and generally designated by the number 2.

This rocker attachment comprises the rocker members 3 and 4 which are laterally spaced from one another and are interconnected by means of cross members 5, 6 and 1, the ends of which are permanently secured to the rocker members 3 and 4. The cross members 5, 6 and 1 may comprise bars or round rods and the rocker members 3 and 4 and the cross members may be of wood 5 as shown. The cross members 5 and 6 are suitably spaced apart to receive the periphery of the front wheel 8 of the vehicle I. The cross member 1 is spaced rearwardly from the front or forward cross members 5 and 6, and the rear cross member 1 comprises part of the mounting means for the rear wheels 9 and 10 of the vehicle i.

For the mounting of the rear wheels 9 and I0, I utilize in conjunction with the rear cross member 1, short wheel engaging members II and I2 secured respectively to the rocker members 3 and 4 and laterally offstanding inwardly therefrom. These wheel engaging members H and I2 may be of round wooden or metal stock as shown and have their outer ends permanently secured to the rocker members 3 and 4. The wheel engaging members II and I2 are spaced rearwardly from the rear cross member 1 so that the rear wheel 9 rests upon the cross member 1 and upon the wheel engaging member l2 while the rear wheel [0 of the tricycle rests upon the cross member 1 and the wheel engaging member H, in a manner similar to the way in which the front wheel 8 rests upon the spaced forward cross members 5 and 6.

For detachably securing the front wheel 8 in its position resting upon the cross members 5 and 6, I provide a wheel engaging member l3 which is mounted centrally of the cross members 5 and 6 and extends vertically upwardly therefrom in position to engage one side of the said front wheel 8, and I provide detachable securing means in the form of hook bolts l4, l5 and I6 carried by the upright wheel engaging member l3 and by the rocker members 3 and 4 respectively. The hook bolts l4, l5 and I6 have hook portions which engage around the rims of the wheels 8, 9 and I0 and the shanks of these bolts extend through the upright member l3 and through the rockers 3 and 4 and are secured by means of wing nuts l4a, 15a and Ilia.

In the use of my invention it will be apparent that when it is desired to mount the tricycle l upon the rocker attachment 2 to convert thesame into a rocking vehicle, the tricycle l is disposed with the front wheel resting upon the cross members 5 and 6 the rear wheels resting upon the cross member 1 and the wheel engaging members H and i2. Then the hook bolts l4, l5 and I6 are manipulated so that the hook portions thereof engage around the rims of the wheels 8, 9 and I0 and the wing nuts Ma, [5a and lfia drawn up tightly so as to secure the wheels in place as described and shown. It is of course a simple matter to loosen the wing nuts so as to disengage the hook bolts from the wheels when it is desired to remove the vehicle from the rocker attachment for its normal use as a wheeled vehicle.

In the modification of Figures 5 and 6 which is designed to enable accommodation of vehicles of different lengths of wheel base, means is provided for adjustment of the rear wheel mounting means relative to the rocker members. This is accomplished by providing a plurality of apertures extending through the rocker members adjacent the rear end thereof as indicated by the numeral H in reference to the rocker member 3 of Figures 5 and 6. Instead of the cross members 1 and the wheel engaging members I! and !2 which are permanently secured to the rocker member I utilize in the modification of Figures 5 and 6 wheel engaging members I 8 and H which are detachably securable to the rocker members. The wheel engaging members ib-and i 9 have reduced shank ends 18a and !9a which are adapted to be inserted through theapertures 41in the rocker members and said reduced shan ends are threaded for receiving nuts 20 and?! for securing the wheel engaging members l8 and i9 to the rocker members in a detachablemanner. ceived upon the shank ends opposite sides ofthe rocker Figure '5 most clearly. Both ing members 53 and 19 may comprise cross members. extending between both of the rocker members, or. ifdesiredonly oneof the members i8 I81: and I 90. engaging memberas shown in and i9 may be across .member and the otherof these. members maybe short laterally. inwardly extending members like the members I l .and i2 Washers maybe reof the wheel engag th'e holes I1 'as'desired and 4 of the form of rocker attachment of Figures 1 and 2.

It will be apparent in reference to the modification of Figures 5 and 6 that depending upon the wheel base length of the vehicle desired to be mounted upon the rocker attachment, the wheel engaging members Hand 19 will be inserted in the Spacing between wheels.

2. A rocker attachment as set forth in claim 1 including-:alwheel engaging. plate carried by a pair of -said-braces and :disposed substantially centrally of said rockers, and means carried "by said plate for clamping another wheel thereto. FRANK J; SEVER.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS 

